This invention relates to diving apparatus and more particularly to an improved diver's life support and safety line, or umbilical.
Modern surface or sub-surface station supported deep sea divers are provided not only with breathing gas but also with heating fluids, communication lines, physical data transmission and other electrical power supply lines. Although some efforts have been made in the past to provide composite supply lines including breathing gas hoses, electrical communication wires, and strength members, so far as is known by the inventors herein, there has not been devised a composite supply line or umbilical providing all of the necessary support functions, and having reliable connector means for joining lengths thereof or making connection between a length and a diver's whip portion normally left attached to the helmet.